Verbena plant named ‘Wesverlila’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Verbena  plant named ‘Wesverlila’, characterized by its cascading, roughly spherical plant habit; ovate-shaped leaves; freely flowering habit; and inflorescences with purple violet-colored flowers.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Verbena hybrida cultivar Wesverlila.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Verbena plant, botanically known as Verbena hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Wesverlila’.

The new Verbena is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Südlohn, Germany. The objective of the program is to create new Verbena cultivars with cascading growth habit and attractive flower coloration.

The new Verbena originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor of a proprietary selection of Verbena hybrida identified as code number 00VE9, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Verbena hybrida identified as code number 00VE2, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Verbena was discovered and selected by the Inventor from within the resultant progeny from the above-mentioned cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Südlohn, Germany in 2001.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Südlohn, Germany, since 2002, has shown that the unique features of this new Verbena are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Wesverlila’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Wesverlila’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Cascading, roughly spherical plant habit.     -   2. Ovate-shaped leaves.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Large inflorescences.     -   5. Purple violet-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Verbena differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have white-colored flowers with violet-colored spots. In addition, plants of the new Verbena are more cascading than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Verbena differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower size as plants of the male parent selection have smaller flowers. In addition, plants of the new Verbena also have longer lateral branches and more ovately shaped leaves than the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the cultivar Wesverdark, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,847. However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted in Südlohn, Germany, plants of the new Verbena and the cultivar Wesverdark differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena had shorter petioles than plants of         the cultivar Wesverdark.     -   2. Plants of the new Verbena had larger flowers and         inflorescences than plants of the cultivar Wesverdark.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Verbena and the cultivar         Wesverdark differed in coloration.

Plants of the new Verbena can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Obsession Blue with Eye, not patented. However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted in Südlohn, Germany, plants of the new Verbena and the cultivar Obsession Blue and Eye differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena had narrower leaves than plants of         the cultivar Obsession Blue with Eye.     -   2. Plants of the new Verbena had larger flowers and         inflorescences than plants of the cultivar Obsession Blue with         Eye.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Verbena and the cultivar         Obsession Blue with Eye differed in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Verbena.

The photograph at the left of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Wesverlila’ grown in a hanging basket container.

The photograph at the right of the sheet comprises a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘Wesverlila’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar Wesverlila has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype. The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Südlohn, Germany, under commercial practice during the spring and summer in a glass-covered greenhouse with day temperatures ranging from 20 to 25° C. and night temperatures ranging from 16 to 18° C. Cuttings were planted in 12-cm containers, pinched one time about two weeks after planting, and had been growing for about 20 weeks when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Verbena hybrida cultivar Wesverlila. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Verbena             hybrida identified as code number 00VE9, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Verbena             hybrida identified as code number 00VE2, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 10 to 14 days at 18° C.         -   Time to develop roots.—About 21 to 23 days at 18° C.         -   Root description.—Fine.         -   Rooting habit.—Vigorous, freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Compact, outwardly spreading and trailing plant habit.         -   Growth and branching habit.—Moderately vigorous and             freely-branching with the potential for two lateral branches             to develop at every node after pinching.         -   Plant height.—About 14 to 22 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 45 to 50 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 33.5 cm. Diameter: About             1.9 mm. Internode length: About 4.1 cm. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: 146B.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple. Length:             About 5.5 cm. Width: About 2.2 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:             Slightly acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Crenate to dentate.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Leathery, dull;             pubescent. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing and             fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A. Developing and             fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B. Venation, upper             and lower surfaces: 147C. Petiole: Length: About 6.2 mm.             Diameter: About 2 mm. Color: 147C to 147D. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single upright salverform flowers             arranged on terminal racemes. Freely flowering with about 19             flowers and flower buds per raceme; about two racemes per             lateral branch. Inflorescence is positioned above and beyond             the foliage. Individual flowers last about two to four days             under greenhouse conditions. Petals self cleaning; calyx and             flower stalks persistent. Flowers sessile.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering season.—In the garden, flowering is continuous             from spring until fall.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 5.9 cm. Height: About             4.8 cm.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 2 cm. Height: About 2.7 cm.             Tube length: About 1.9 cm. Throat diameter: About 2.3 mm.             Tube diameter, at base: About 1.2 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.4 to 1.9 cm. Diameter: About 3             to 5 mm. Shape: Tubular. Color: 146A to 146B overlain with             145C; towards the apex, 83A.         -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five per flower fused at base.             Petal length from throat: About 9.3 mm. Petal width: About             7.8 mm. Shape: Roughly cordate. Apex: Emarginate. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Velvety, smooth.             Color: When opening, upper surface: 79B. When opening, lower             surface: 79D. Fully opened, upper surface: 81A; towards the             base, close to 155D. Fully opened, lower surface: 81B to             81D. Throat: 145B to 145D. Tube: 145D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five, fused into a tube.             Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 1.9 mm. Shape:             Ligulate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Velvety, viscid. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: 146A to 146B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.7 to 3 cm. Diameter: About             1.4 mm. Strength: Wiry. Color: 146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Four.             Anther shape: Two-parted, ovate. Anther length: About             1.3 mm. Anther color: 145C. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen             color: 1A to 1C. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil             length: About 1.8 cm. Stigma shape: Ovate. Stigma color:             146A. Style length: About 1.5 cm. Style color: 145C. Ovary             color: 144A.         -   Fruit/seed.—Fruit and seed production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Verbena have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Verbena. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Verbena have been observed     to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from 2 to 30° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Verbena plant named ‘Wesverlila’, as illustrated and described. 